Zamimpilo residents appeal for housing as Mashaba delivers toilets

Zamimpilo residents are appealing with the City of Joburg to speed up the pace of housing service delivery.

Yesterday the City of Joburg and Johannesburg Water unveiled two container-based ablution facilities to service 1900 households in the squatter camp near Riverlea at a cost of 4 million Rand.

But residents hijacked the occasion complaining that The City is taking too long to fulfil its promise to move residents to decent houses.

“They first said 31 residents would be relocated to flats in the inner city. Then they cut that number to 11 and now they say only five can go!” said one angry resident who spoke to Kaya FM News. “We have been waiting for too long and the rats are a serious problem. They eat the mealie meal that is meant for our children,” added the resident.

But EFF councillor Nonhlanhla Radebe appealed to the community to be patient saying their cries have been heard. Nonhlanhla pointed to the erection of the ablution facilities as evidence that both the EFF and the DA were listening to residents. “We were here before, we heard your cries when you protested and destroyed the Rea Vaya station and we went to the City and delivered the toilets. There is no need for you to destroy the facilities that will help you tomorrow,” said Radebe.

City of Joburg Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba thanked the local ward councillors from both the DA and EFF saying the provision of the ablution facility would not have been possible were it not for their multi-party approach.

Mashaba admitted that much still needs to be done in order to improve the lives of many Johannesburg residents, especially those living in informal settlements.

But he pleaded with people to register themselves if they want to benefit from government housing. “This question of undocumented South Africans has reached unacceptable levels. So if you are in South Africa and you don’t have documents please go to Home Affairs and register so that you have got documents. Because if you don’t have documentation The City of Johannesburg is not prepared to provide facilities, more especially housing to people who are not registered,” warned Mashaba.